2013 San Diego County Fair: Part Two: It's open!

This is a food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy try to write the reasons/situations about trying/preparing/eating food.  Today is one of those posts: Cathy is writing.

The San Diego County Fair, largest (by attendance) in the State of California and fourth largest in the entire United States opened last Saturday.  I wrote a short post about what to expect before the Fair opened. 

This post is about our FIRST visit this year. We could not stay very long on this day to see (or eat) all the Fair has to offer and there will be a follow up.  For now, lots of photos to give you a taste of what is happening.

The Midway rides are pretty much the same as always.

The Preserved Foods, cookies, breads and decorated cakes have been judged and are on display in Home and Hobby. 

Quilts, Crafts and Collections are on display with their respective prize ribbons.

The Agriculture Education barn is open for visiting.

Many of the garden displays and entries emphasize the Theme of the Fair ("Game's On!")

Then there are the "County Fair Food" booths.  

Chicken Charlie's has three stands and the center one does offer grilled and healthy choices, like these chicken and vegetable kabobs. The stand to your left fries everything. and around the corner (to your right as you face it) is Chicken Charlie's"Pineapple Express" and offers different, but mostly 'healthy' (in comparison) items.

So, What did we eat?

Yes, the carb-free selection of bacon wrapped jalapeños ($7.55 including tax)from the "Bacon A Fair" stand(formerly the "Heart Attack Cafe", which must have been a bit too blunt of advertising).  These are **fresh** jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, then wrapped with bacon and grilled.  The pepper is spicy hot- in a good way to me- in a not so good way to The Mister's tastes...

To make up for this 'healthy' Fair food, we headed across the Midway.

The "Grilled Cheese A-Fair" stand. 

The Monte Cristo ($9). Ham and Cheese, grilled (on a very hearty, fresh white bread) then dipped in batter and fried, served with strawberry jam. This was really good, fresh and 1/2 of a half sandwich was enough for me.

There are some atypical Fair/common food booths here too. 

Then there is the question of...Where do people who work here every day for the 23 days of this Fair eat? Sure, they get some sort of discount at the various booths, but there is only so much sugar and oil in the world...

Located on the outside of the Racetrack, just in from the Midway is the Paddock area. 

On the North side of this semi-enclosed (beer-centric) area you'll see this:

It was not crowded when we were here for two reasons: 1. The regular prices for beer are around $8. B) There is a "Happy Hour" at 5 p.m., when you can get a beer and a taco for $5. We didn't care about beer. 

$3.50 tacos and $4 sopes! Adobada and barbacoa!

The display.

The cook.

Our order.  Adobada taco and a Barbacoa sope. Each meat was moist and well seasoned; excellent. Both servings were generous.

Here's a photo showing the (very fresh, crispy edged) sope.  The beans, toppings...everything was extremely fresh and good.  

The parking and transportation to and from the (free parking area) Horse Park this year is *much* larger and easier to navigate.  We were there early and parked in horse corral #10 (the main parking lot is #1 and the bus stops and picks up at various areas).  There was a very visible security presence, with Mounted Sheriffs in the regular parking lot and bicycling Sheriffs throughout the Fairgrounds. There is a lot of information about how to save money on admission, rides and food items when going to the Fair. Check out the website.

Hope to see you at the Fair!!! Remember, it's closed on Mondays (except that July 1 Monday). July 4 is the last day.

 

Comments

[caninecologne]

Excellent preview for us! Bert wants that deep fried bacon wrapped dog! (Ugh!) I want to try the cream puffs you had last year (fresh ones, not the trio)and fried clams too! But not together, ha ha.

[Cathy]

There's a bacon dog, a bacon wrapped corn dog and also the beer batter bacon dog... so many choices, cc!!! The cream puff shells are made fresh each morning and weren't ready when we had first passed the Cream Puff stand and we forgot to walk back before we left- so that will be a definite stop when we return.

[kirbie]

What a nice roundup! It's always interesting to see fair posts from another perspective. I didn't even see some of these food stands. I was curious about that Monte Cristo.

[Soo]

Thanks for the cool fair post! It was cool seeing some of the stuff I missed. I should go for 2 days next year so I can see everything for myself.

[Cathy]

Thanks, Kirbie. The Monte Cristo was *really* good-not greasy as are my usual (pan fried) grilled cheese sandwiches-the bread was dipped in the batter and only the batter was fried... I try to vary my Fair posts (going back to 2007-I've done a lot of them) to highlight new or different things as well as traditions without being repetitive; it's getting challenging.
You really can spend a lot of time at the Fair, Soo, so many competitions, exhibits as well as rides and the sales items/gadgets and then the foods.

[TFD]

We went to the fair the first day and saw a bunch of people get off the bus at that horse area. I wanted to park there but didn't know how. So you have to come early to get that spot? That's the one that passes the big old dirt parking lot right? We didn't eat anything because Mr. C was suffering from the gas bbq smoke. Oh well, at least we go to see the barn and flowers.

[Cathy]

The entrance to the Horse Park is on El Camino Real, TFD. You have to follow the line of cars in front of you and they guide you to the spots in order in the morning...since people will be going to the fair and the first lots won't be empty for probably 3 or more hours (a lot of workers were on our bus). All of the lots are dirt-corrals and horse friendly). So sad you didn't eat anything:( I hope Mr. C is feeling better.